System and method for detecting movement of an occupant seated in a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A system for detecting a motion of an occupant seated in a vehicle. The system includes a sensing electrode located proximate to the occupant and configured to transmit a signal representative of a current in the sensing electrode. The system also includes a receiver including a controller and coupled to an antenna. The receiver is configured to detect a change in the transmitted signal based on a presence of the occupant and a set detection condition, and generate detection information based on the set detection condition. The controller is configured to change a state of a vehicle component based on the generated detection information.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates generally to the field of capacitivesensing and proximity detection systems.

In-vehicle detection systems use various technologies to detect apresence of an occupant in a vehicle and movement of the occupant in thevehicle. Currently camera based detection methodology is utilized toidentify an occupant who is interacting with a device in a vehicle.

However, there remains a need for an in-vehicle detection system withincreased capabilities to detect the movement of the occupant and changea state of a component of a control module of a vehicle based on thedetected movement of the occupant. It is of particular importance todetermine the type of occupant (e.g. a driver or a passenger) that isinteracting with the component of the control module of the vehicle. Inaddition, there is a need to redirect the occupant to a safer method(e.g., voice operation) of interacting with the component of the controlmodule of the vehicle when the vehicle is in a manual driving mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention become apparent from the following description and theaccompanying exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, which arebriefly described below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an occupant in a vehicle seatincluding a capacitive sensing and proximity detection system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a steering wheel including a sensing electrode.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of proximity detection of an appendage of theoccupant.

FIG. 4 is a graph of proximity detection according to a detection rangeand an amplitude threshold.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Several methods and systems are proposed to determine whether anoccupant seated in a vehicle seat may control a component of a controlmodule of a vehicle.

According to one embodiment, a capacitive sensing system and the body ofthe occupant as a conductive conduit and a capacitive proximitydetection system and a receiver thereof are used to detect movement ofthe occupant in the vehicle seat to change a state of the component ofthe vehicle. Thus the overall capacitive system comprises a modifiedsteering wheel integrated capacitive sensing system for detecting apresence of the occupant and a capacitive proximity detection system fordetecting movement of the occupant when seated in the vehicle seat.

As shown in FIG. 1, a capacitive sensing system may include a sensingelectrode 4 located in a vehicle steering wheel 8. The sensing electrode4 is connected to electronics located in a control module 2. Theelectronics includes a signal generator that provides a voltage signalto the sensing electrode 4. The voltage signal may be sinusoidal orother suitable profile. Due to the applied voltage, a current flows inthe sensing electrode 4. The current in the electrode creates acorresponding electrical field in the vicinity of the sensing electrode4. The interaction between surrounding objects and the electric fieldchanges the effective impedance of the sensing electrode 4. For example,the current in the sensing electrode 4 can change due to the presence ofobjects in the vicinity of the electric field (e.g., a hand of anoccupant 12 on the steering wheel 8).

As shown in FIG. 1, the electric signal provided to the sensingelectrode 4 generates an electric field that may cause a correspondingcurrent to flow through the occupant 12 to the receiver 6. The controlmodule 2 may adjust the power level of the voltage signal transmitted tothe sensing electrode 4 (and the power of the corresponding transmittedelectric field) based on an estimated impedance of the occupant 12. Thesystem includes electronics that can measure the resultant electricfield signal transfer or coupling as a change in amplitude and phasebased on the strength of the coupling through the body.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a steering wheel including a sensing electrode.The steering wheel 8 may include at least one sensing electrode 4. Thesteering wheel 8 may be oval, square, rectangular or circular in shapeand the configuration of the at least one sensing electrode 4 thereinmay be symmetric or asymmetric.

The capacitive sensing system is used in conjunction with the capacitivedetection system. As shown in FIG. 1 the capacitive detection systemincludes a receiver 6 to detect the transmitted electric field signalthrough the body of the occupant 12. The electric field signal may betransmitted through the occupant over one of a discrete frequency and atime phase frequency. The receiver 6 includes a controller and may belocated in the control module 2. The receiver 6 may also be located in aterminal device in the vehicle including but not limited to a mobilephone, a tablet, a laptop, a camera, a wearable electromechanicaldevice, a camcorder, a radar detector and an independent navigationunit. The receiver 6 is coupled to or includes an antenna and isconfigured to detect the transmitted electric field signal carriedthrough the occupant. The receiver 6 is configured to detect thetransmitted signal and the corresponding presence of the occupant basedon detected signal information indicating a proximity or contact betweenan appendage 12 a of the occupant 12 and the antenna.

The antenna may be configured in an appropriate shape for enhancingsensitivity to the signal being carried by the occupant and may beintegrated into other components of the vehicle (e.g., display,instrument panel, etc.). For example, the antenna may be one of arectangular and oval shape. The antenna may be incorporated within thereceiver 6 or may be coupled to the receiver 6. The receiver 6 isconfigured to detect a change in the transmitted electric field signalfrom the sensing electrode 4 due to the applied voltage to the sensingelectrode 4 and contact between the occupant 12 and the steering wheel8.

As shown in FIG. 3, the receiver 6 is also configured to detect a changein the transmitted electric field signal based on an analysis of thedetected signal. The analysis results in a determination of a detectioncondition by the receiver 6 or controller. For example, the detectioncondition may determine that the occupant is touching (or not touching)and attempting to operate a component of the vehicle. The detectioncondition may be determined using at least one of a size of theoccupant's appendage 12 a, an approaching rate of speed of theoccupant's appendage 12 a to the receiver 6, a withdrawal rate of speedof the occupant's appendage 12 a from the receiver and a detection rangebetween the occupant's appendage 12 a and the receiver 6. The occupant'sappendage 12 a may be but is not limited to any one of a hand, finger,foot and toe and the detection range may be a predetermined distancebetween the occupant's appendage 12 a and the receiver 6.

In one embodiment, the detection condition is determined according tothe approaching rate of speed D_(r) of the occupant's appendage 12 a(e.g., finger) and a detection range D_(r) between the occupant'sappendage 12 a and the receiver 6. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, theapproaching rate of speed D_(r) of the occupant's appendage 12 a is 500cm/sec and the detection range D_(r) is 10 cm.

The receiver 6 is also configured to generate detection informationbased on the signal received at the antenna. The detection informationmay indicate a proximity between the occupant's appendage 12 a and thereceiver 6. For example, and as shown in FIG. 3, when the approachingrate of speed D_(r) of the occupant's appendage 12 a is 500 cm/sec andthe detection range D_(r) is 10 cm, the receiver 6 calculates as thedetection information, a time from a surface touch t_(r) of the receiver6 by the occupant's appendage 12 a. In the above example, the receivercalculates the time from a surface touch t_(r) as 0.02 seconds.Accordingly, the detection information may be but is not limited to thetime from the surface touch t_(r) of the receiver 6 by the occupant'sappendage 12 a.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the receiver 6 provides thegenerated detection information to the controller which is configured todetermine whether the occupant 12 may control the component of thecontrol module of the vehicle based on a driving mode of the vehicle(e.g., autonomous or manual) and contact between the occupant 12 and thesteering wheel 8. In another embodiment, the receiver is configured touse the detection information to determine the detection condition andsimply transmits information to the controller indicating whether adetection condition exists (e.g., contact or no contact). In the casewhere the receiver is not located proximate to the controller (e.g.,connected via a direct conductor), the data and information provided tothe controller from the receiver may be transferred wirelessly such as,for example, via blue tooth connection between a wearable electronicdevice housing the receiver and the controller located in the instrumentpanel of the vehicle.

In one embodiment the controller prohibits, based on the determination,the occupant 12 from controlling the component by disabling touchedbased control of the component when the vehicle is in a manual drivingmode and the occupant 12 is in contact with the steering wheel 8.Further, the controller generates a prompt indicating the touched basedcontrol of the component is disabled. For example, if the occupant 12 isa driver of the vehicle and attempts to use the navigation system tosearch a new destination while driving on a congested freeway, thesystem transmits the electric field signal from the steering wheel 8through the hand of the driver to be detected by the receiver 6surrounding the navigation system. Upon detection of the transmittedelectric field signal the controller, being configured with a protocolthat the navigation system should be disabled for the driver, generatesa voice prompt indicating the touch based control of the navigationsystem is disabled. The system for controlling the component can beextended to terminal devices including but not limited to a cellphone, awearable electronic or electromechanical device, a tablet, a laptop, acamera, a camcorder, a radar detector and an independent navigationunit.

In another embodiment, wherein the occupant 12 is a driver of thevehicle, the controller allows the driver to control the component whenthe vehicle is in one of a semi autonomous driving mode and anautonomous driving mode and the driver is other than in contact with thesteering wheel 8. Therefore, when the system determines the vehicle isin one of a semi autonomous driving mode and an autonomous driving modecontact between the driver and the steering wheel 8 may not be necessarythereby providing a natural bypass to the system.

In another embodiment, wherein the occupant 12 is a passenger of thevehicle, the controller allows the passenger to control the componentwhen the vehicle is in a manual driving mode and the passenger is otherthan in contact with the steering wheel 8. For example, if the occupant12 is a passenger of the vehicle and attempts to use a navigation systemof the vehicle to search a new destination while the driver is drivingon a congested freeway, the system allows the passenger to control thenavigation system knowing that the passenger is other than in contactwith the steering wheel 8.

In yet another embodiment, wherein the occupant 12 is a passenger of thevehicle, the controller allows the passenger to control the componentwhen the vehicle is in one of a semi autonomous driving mode and anautonomous driving mode and the passenger is other than in contact withthe steering wheel 8.

In another embodiment the system may be configured such that the sensingelectrode 4 is located within the control module 2 and is configured totransmit the electric field signal representative of the current in theelectrode 4 through the occupant 12 of the vehicle via a body areanetwork.

Further, the receiver 6 may be may be located in the steering wheel 8 ofthe vehicle and is configured to detect the transmitted electric fieldsignal based on contact between the occupant 12 and the steering wheel8. In addition, the receiver 6 may be located in a seat 10 of thevehicle or a seat mat of the vehicle such that the system is aware theoccupant 12 is in contact with the seat 10 or the seat mat.

Specifically, the controller is configured to determine whether theoccupant may control the component based on a driving mode of thevehicle and the contact between the occupant 12 and the steering wheel8. For example, the may controller prohibit, based on the determinationof the occupant's position, the occupant 12 from controlling thecomponent by disabling touched based control of the component when thevehicle is in a manual driving mode and the occupant 12 is in contactwith the steering wheel 8. The controller may be configured to generatea prompt (audio and/or visual) indicating the touched based control ofthe component is disabled.

In another embodiment the system could operate concurrently with asecond controller that independently controls an operation of thevehicle (e.g. speed settings or lane changes). Specifically, if coupledwith the system and when the vehicle is in one of a semi autonomousdriving mode and an autonomous driving mode, the second controller wouldallow for a passenger of the vehicle to take limited control of thevehicle when contact between the driver and the steering wheel 8 may notbe necessary. For example, in an emergency situation if the driverbecame incapacitated the second controller would allow for the passengerto take control of the vehicle to safely slow down and stop the vehicle.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the detection condition isdetermined by comparing the amplitude of the received electric fieldsignal carried through the occupant to an amplitude threshold, which isbased on an expected amplitude for a given detection range between theoccupant's appendage 12 a and the receiver 6.

Although specific shapes and locations of each element have been setforth in the drawings, each element may be of any other shape orlocation that facilitates the function to be performed by that element.In an exemplary embodiment, the sensing electrode 4 and receiver 6 havebeen shown in particular vehicle locations. However, in other exemplaryembodiments the sensing electrode 4 and receiver 6 may be located inother parts of the vehicle. For example, the sensing electrode 4 may belocated in a seat 10 of the vehicle or a seat mat of the vehicle.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” means the joining oftwo components (electrical, mechanical, or magnetic) directly orindirectly to one another. Such joining may be stationary in nature ormovable in nature. Such joining may be achieved with the two components(electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate members beingintegrally defined as a single unitary body with one another or with thetwo components or the two components and any additional member beingattached to one another. Such joining may be permanent in nature oralternatively may be removable or releasable in nature.

The present disclosure has been described with reference to exemplaryembodiments. However, persons skilled in the art will recognize thatchanges may be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand scope of the disclosed subject matter. For example, althoughdifferent exemplary embodiments may have been described as including oneor more features providing one or more benefits, it is contemplated thatthe described features may be interchanged with one another oralternatively be combined with one another in the described exemplaryembodiments or in other alternative embodiments. The technology of thepresent disclosure is relatively complex and thus not all changes in thetechnology are foreseeable. The present disclosure described withreference to the exemplary embodiments is manifestly intended to be asbroad as possible. For example, unless specifically otherwise noted, theexemplary embodiments reciting a single particular element alsoencompass a plurality of such particular elements.

Exemplary embodiments may include program products comprising computeror machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executableinstructions or data structures stored thereon. For example, the drivermonitoring system may be computer driven. Exemplary embodimentsillustrated in the methods of the figures may be controlled by programproducts comprising computer or machine-readable media for carrying orhaving machine-executable instructions or data structures storedthereon. Such computer or machine-readable media can be any availablemedia which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purposecomputer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, suchcomputer or machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM,CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carryor store desired program code in the form of machine-executableinstructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a generalpurpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor.Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of computeror machine-readable media. Computer or machine-executable instructionscomprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a generalpurpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purposeprocessing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.Software implementations of the present invention could be accomplishedwith standard programming techniques with rule based logic and otherlogic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps,comparison steps and decision steps.

It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement ofthe elements of the system as shown in the exemplary embodiments isillustrative only. Although only a certain number of embodiments havebeen described in detail in this disclosure, those skilled in the artwho review this disclosure will readily appreciate that manymodifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions,structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values ofparameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,orientations, etc.) without material departing from the novel teachingsand advantages of the subject matter recited. For example, elementsshown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple parts orelements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operationof the assemblies may be reversed or otherwise varied, the length orwidth of the structures and/or members or connectors or other elementsof the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustment orattachment positions provided between the elements may be varied. Itshould be noted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may beconstructed from any of a wide variety of materials that providesufficient strength or durability. Accordingly, all such modificationsare intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.The order or sequence of any process or method steps may be varied orre-sequenced according to alternative embodiments. Other substitutions,modifications, changes and omissions may be made in the design,operating conditions and arrangement of the exemplary embodimentswithout departing from the spirit of the present subject matter.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A system for controlling a component of a controlmodule of a vehicle operated by a driver and configured for operation insemi-autonomous and autonomous driving modes, comprising: an electrodelocated proximate to the driver of the vehicle and configured totransmit a control signal representative of a current in the electrodethrough the driver of the vehicle via a body area network; and areceiver coupled to an antenna located proximate to the component, thereceiver being configured to detect the transmitted control signal anddetermine the presence of the driver proximate to the component based ondetection information indicating a proximity between an appendage of thedriver and the antenna; wherein the determination of the presence of thedriver is provided to a controller and wherein the controller isconfigured to determine whether the driver may control the componentbased on a driving mode of the vehicle; wherein the controller isconfigured to prohibit, based on the determination of whether the drivermay control the component, the driver from controlling the component bydisabling touched based control of the component when the vehicle is ina manual driving mode, and wherein the controller is configured topermit the driver to control the component when the vehicle is in one ofthe semi-autonomous driving mode and the autonomous driving mode; andwherein the controller is configured to permit a passenger of thevehicle control the component when the vehicle is in the manual,semi-autonomous and autonomous driving modes.
 19. The system of claim18, wherein the electrode is located in a seat of the vehicle.
 20. Thesystem of claim 18, wherein the electrode is located in a steering wheelof the vehicle.
 21. The system of claim 18, wherein the controller isconfigured to generate a prompt indicating the touched based control ofthe component is disabled.
 22. The system of claim 18, wherein theelectrode transmits the control signal through the driver over one of adiscrete frequency and a time phase frequency.
 23. The system of claim18, wherein the receiver is located in a center console of the vehicle.24. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is located in aterminal device in the vehicle and the controller prohibits, based onthe determination, the driver from controlling the terminal device bydisabling touched based control of the terminal device when the vehicleis in a manual driving mode and the driver is in contact with a steeringwheel, and generates a prompt indicating the touched based control ofthe terminal device is disabled.
 25. The system of claim 24, wherein theterminal device is one of a mobile phone, a tablet, a wearableelectromechanical device and a laptop.
 26. The system of claim 18,wherein the receiver is located in a terminal device in the vehicle. 27.The system of claim 26, wherein the terminal device is one of a mobilephone, a tablet, a laptop, a camera, a wearable electromechanicaldevice, a camcorder, a radar detector and an independent navigationunit.
 28. The system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is located in aninstrument panel of a vehicle.
 29. A system for controlling a vehicleoperated by a driver and configured for operation in semi-autonomous andautonomous driving modes, comprising: an electrode located proximate tothe driver and configured to transmit a control signal representative ofa current in the electrode through the driver of the vehicle via a bodyarea network; and a receiver coupled to an antenna located in a steeringwheel of the vehicle, the receiver configured to detect the transmittedcontrol signal based on contact between the driver and the steeringwheel, wherein the receiver includes a first controller configured todetermine whether the driver is in contact with the steering wheel;wherein a second controller is configured to control the operation ofthe vehicle when the vehicle is in one of the semi-autonomous drivingmode and the autonomous driving mode and the driver is not in contactwith the steering wheel; and wherein the second controller is configuredto permit a passenger to take control of the vehicle when the vehicle isin one of the semi-autonomous driving mode and the autonomous drivingmode.
 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the electrode transmits thecontrol signal through the driver over one of a discrete frequency and atime phase frequency.
 31. The system of claim 29, wherein the secondcontroller is configured to allow the passenger to slow down and stopthe vehicle in an emergency situation.